China's supreme court pledges better protection of property rights of private business

BEIJING -- Chinese courts will take resolute actions to protect legitimate property rights and interests of private businesses and entrepreneurs, a Supreme People's Court report said Tuesday.

Courts will work to stop illegal acts violating personality rights of entrepreneurs, support honest business operations and encourage fair competition, according to the report submitted to the ongoing session of the 14th National People's Congress, the top legislature, for deliberation.

Chinese courts have enhanced their protection on property rights over the past five years. From 2018 to 2022, wrong verdicts of 209 major criminal cases involving property rights had been corrected, and 290 business operators acquitted, according to the report.

Concrete actions had been taken to prevent turning business disputes into criminal prosecution, the report added.

All enterprises were treated equally no matter whether they are state-owned or private, domestic or foreign-funded, small or big, the report said.